Keto Brownies
Recipe by Ellen Whitney | @ellen_whitney
The Keto diet has become all the rage over the last couple years, and it seems even more are adapting to the lifestyle since the start of the new year, because I have been getting a TON of requests for recipes that fit the diet. The problem with most keto recipes for me, is that they use a lot of high-fat dairy products, eggs, and butter, all of which don’t adhere to the plant-based lifestyle I follow. That’s why I was SHOCKED when these Keto Brownies turned out to be delicious while also being vegan + gluten-free too!
Keto Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13x9 glass baking dish with a sheet of foil lengthwise, and then another piece placed horizontally, so there is foil overhang to be folded over the sides of the pain. Spray with non-stick baking spray.
- Combine the almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium boil.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Combine the chopped chocolate, cacao powder, and espresso powder in a large mixing bowl. When the water has boiled, measure out 1-cup and pour into the mixing bowl with the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until well combined and the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the Vitafiber, oil, and vanilla.
- Fold in the flour mixture to the chocolate, stirring just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips (only if using). Pour the brownie mixture into the greased + lined baking sheet and bake 28-32 minutes. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt immediately out of the oven, if using.
- Let the brownies cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then use the foil overhang to lift the brownies out of the pan and place back on the wire rack to continue cooling- another hour or so. Since these brownies are so rich from the lack of sugar, I prefer the keto-version refrigerated, so I recommend once they've cooled, to slice and store in an airtight container in the fridge!
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate - chopped small
- 3/4 cup cacao powder
- 1 1/2 tsps instant espresso powder
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 1/2 cup powdered Vitafiber
- 1 1/4 cup granulated stevia
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil*
- 1T pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup stevia-sweetened or semisweet dairy-free chocolate chips - optional; Semi-sweet chips will make these brownies NOT keto
- flakey sea salt - for garnish
If you’re just adapting to a low-sugar lifestyle, these will certainly taste slightly bitter. However, the less you feed your body sugar, the more sensitive you become to “sweet” flavors, and your tastebuds adapt. Since there is NO SUGAR in these brownies, they are extremely rich in chocolate flavor- but if you’re a chocolate lover like me, there’s no such thing as too rich! However, whenever using pure dark chocolate or cacao, the taste can be a bit bitter, which is why I recommend adding a sprinkle of sea salt to the top as sea salt blunts the bitter receptors on your tongue, and can make a dessert taste even sweeter! (plus the garnish looks pretty too!) *I have only tried all vegetable oil, and this half-and half version. All avocado oil is likely to work too, but I have not tried it. I have also been wanting to try MCT oil. Butter could also likely be used for a keto version (but then they would no longer be vegan)